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You’ve doubtless heard that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. But what about a banana a day? Your body needs potassium to function. It is one of the essential minerals for health. It regulates your body’s fluid balance. It maintains your body’s electrolytes, lowers blood pressure, and reduces the risk of stroke.

Symptoms Of Low Potassium Level In Blood

Too much potassium, called hyperkalemia, causes weakness; tiredness It can cause loss of muscle function and slow heart rate. Muscle weakness due to too little potassium, called hypokalemia; muscle spasms It can cause heart palpitations and convulsions—which can lead to stroke and respiratory failure.

Hypokalemia And Hyperkalemia

Low potassium levels can lead to serious health problems like high blood pressure and kidney stones, so it’s helpful to know the symptoms of low potassium and what can cause it. Fortunately, You can often boost your potassium levels on your own through diet and supplements. Here’s what you need to know.

Hypokalemia is defined as a blood potassium level below 3.5 mEq/L; Below 2.5 mEq/L can be life-threatening. Normal potassium levels for most people are between 3.5 and 5.0 mEq per liter (mEq/L), according to a 2018 Clinical Update. Anything above 5.0 mEq/L is considered high, and a level above 6.0 can be dangerous and require immediate medical attention.

Most people don’t go to the doctor because they have low potassium or think they are hypokalemic. Typically, If you take diuretics, it can be found when you have blood work done because of other symptoms, such as adrenal disease, which are often needed, such as hormone disorders, or routine lab work.

Many people do not experience symptoms of severe hypokalemia until potassium levels fall below 3.0 mEq/L.

Potassium Deficiency (hypokalemia): Symptoms And Treatment

Low potassium is not a disease, but a symptom of an underlying condition or disease. When low potassium is detected; Your doctor may recommend additional tests to determine the cause. Additional blood tests include glucose, magnesium calcium sodium, Phosphorus Thyroid hormone and aldosterone can be checked. Your doctor may order an electrocardiogram (EKG) to check the electrical activity in your heart.

It is also essential to treat underlying health conditions or eliminate the cause. for example, If excessive laxative use causes hypokalemia. Addressing the physical or emotional need for laxatives should be part of the treatment plan. If a patient needs a diuretic, Their doctor may prescribe potassium-sparing diuretics or daily potassium supplements to keep potassium in the body.

Potassium is a nutrient we get from food, but food alone rarely causes hypokalemia. There are many potential causes of hypokalemia, and there are certain populations at higher risk of deficiency. They include:

Too low levels of potassium can cause more serious health conditions, such as heart rhythm problems and your heart may stop.

Electrocardiographic Manifestations In Severe Hypokalemia

In mild cases of hypokalemia, potassium levels may return to normal within a few days after increasing potassium intake. Making sure to eat potassium-rich foods every day can help promote and maintain healthy potassium levels. According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), the daily intake of potassium is as follows.

“The best way to raise potassium levels quickly is to take potassium supplements, many of which are available over the counter,” says Dr. Linda Girgis, a board-certified family physician in private practice in South River; MD said. “Once levels return to normal, supplements can be discontinued and potassium levels can be maintained through diet.”

Taking supplements can be dangerous. Potassium supplements may cause mild gastrointestinal side effects or very high potassium levels.

“Potassium levels that are too high and too low can be dangerous. Any excess can lead to arrhythmias and other problems,” says Dr. Girgis. “It’s best to work with your doctor when taking supplements so you can monitor your potassium levels to make sure they stay within safe ranges.”

Conn’s Syndrome / Hyperaldosteronism: Overview And Symptoms

If your potassium levels are too low, over-the-counter supplements may not be enough. The FDA recommends less than 100 milligrams of potassium in supplements, just a fraction of the daily recommended amount. Doctors may give potassium supplements to patients with hypokalemia.

Knowing which type of potassium supplement is best for you can be difficult. “Potassium chloride is commonly used in people with potassium deficiency,” according to Dr. Girgis, “and potassium phosphate is useful if the patient is phosphate deficient. If a patient has kidney stones, Potassium citrate can bind to calcium in the urine, preventing crystal formation. It is recommended to seek medical advice before taking any supplement. We didn’t think so. Chances are, like everyone else, you are woefully underestimating the importance of potassium. When dissolved in water, This mineral is highly reactive and produces positive ions. Potassium is considered one of the five essential electrolytes because of its ability to carry electricity needed for many body functions.

Studies have linked increasing consumption of foods high in potassium to a variety of impressive health benefits. What is potassium? Why is potassium needed? I will describe the function of potassium in the body and the common symptoms of potassium deficiency. Also, I’ll share a list of 15 potassium-rich foods.

Potassium is the third most abundant mineral in the human body. Experiments show that most of the potassium in your body—about 98%—is found in your cells. Your muscle cells claim 80% of those potassium stores, with the remaining 20% ​​coming from your bones. It splits between the liver and red blood cells.

Low Potassium (hypokalemia) In Pregnancy: Causes And Risks

Potassium acts as an electrolyte in your body. Once dissolved in water or other liquids, It breaks down into positive ions that transmit electrical signals. Your body uses these signals to control many important processes.

Potassium regulates fluid levels; It is responsible for three main functions: transmitting nerve signals and regulating muscle contraction. When potassium levels are too low or too high; The results can be very serious.

Water makes up about 60% of our body weight in adults. Water exists both inside and outside our cells: the 40% inside our cells is called intracellular fluid (ICF), and the 60% outside our cells is blood. Spaces like spinal fluid and the spaces between cells are called our extracellular fluid (ECF). )

Electrolytes in particular—sodium and potassium—strongly affect the amount of water in both your ICF and ECF. Potassium is the main electrolyte found in your ICF, and it determines how much water is in your cells at any given time. Sodium plays the same role in your ECF.

How To Recognize The Signs And Symptoms Of Low Potassium Hypokalemia

When everything goes right, Inside and outside your cells, you have a stable amount of water and electrolytes. The technical term for the ratio between electrolytes and fluid is osmolality. The goal is to maintain equal osmolality between your ICF and ECF.

When osmolality is unbalanced; Water from the side with low electrolytes moves to the side to balance electrolyte levels. As water moves in or out of your cells, these cells can swell or shrink. In some cases, your cells can break.

Regulating fluid balance is important for central health. As discussed above, changes in cell volume can be particularly damaging to brain cells. When ECF levels decrease; This can seriously affect blood flow to organs, including your heart.

Eating foods rich in potassium is an important part of maintaining a balanced fluid intake, as well as drinking enough water to keep you properly hydrated.

Reversible Causes Of Cardiac Arrest

Your nervous system handles communication between your brain and your body. That communication is muscle contraction, heart rate It is transmitted in the form of nerve signals that regulate many reactions and other functions.

Potassium plays a key role in the process of nerve signal transmission. When potassium enters a nerve cell; This initiates sodium-potassium exchange, which generates the electrical current needed to transmit a signal. When it leaves a nerve cell, it repolarizes it, allowing the nerve signal to be processed.

A healthy blood potassium level is between 3.6 and 5.0 mmol/L. A 1% drop in potassium levels in your blood can set off a serious imbalance. This can interfere with nerve signals throughout your body.

To maintain healthy nervous system function; It is important to meet your body’s minimum recommended dietary requirements for potassium.

High Potassium (hyperkalemia)

As we touched on above, muscle contractions are a process of controlling nerve signals. Altered potassium levels affect the nerve signaling that makes muscles contract, including your heart rate.

Potassium is very important for muscle health; We include 12 mg of it in our sports performance blend to increase endurance and reduce post-workout soreness.

Hypokalemia occurs when potassium levels are too low. Hyperkalemia occurs when elevated.

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